


Can I be Him?

by xDestinyIsCallingx



Category: Gilmore Girls, Ten Inch Hero
Genre: AU, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Drama, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Pining, Protectiveness, Romance, Self-Defense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21517204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xDestinyIsCallingx/pseuds/xDestinyIsCallingx
Summary: Priestly is in an unhealthy relationship. He falls in love and starts an affair with Dean, but he's not brave enough to leave Rick, his abusive boyfriend. Will Dean be able to prove that his feelings for Priestly are genuine and convince to leave Rick? And will Priestly realise his self worth?
Relationships: Dean Forester/Boaz Priestly
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Can I be Him?

**Author's Note:**

> Song - Can I be him by James Arthur.

If you had asked Priestly where he thought he'd be at this point in his life, he definitely wouldn't say that he would be in an unhappy relationship, 

Rick had dragged Priestly out to a bar where they would be meeting up with some of his friends. He'd wanted to refuse at first because he never had any fun when Rick and his friends hung out, he was always ignored, but he knew that if he refused to go Rick would be pissed.

They were seated in a booth on the more secluded corner just next to the stage where every Friday night some performers would sing or sometimes perform comedy, it was mostly singers though and Priestly had found that some of them weren't half bad, so that was one thing that he had to look forward to. Priestly sat on the edge of the booth whilst Rick and his friends all sat together talking and laughing like the obnoxious jerks that they were. He played with the straw in his drink, he’d had a beer but he really didn't want to get drunk, especially when he knew that Rick would more than likely get hammered and he'd have to look after him. He sighed and took a sip of his coke. He wondered what Dean was doing right now, he wished it was him and Dean going out instead of Rick, he would be having a significantly better time he knew it. He wondered what it would be like to go out with Dean on a real date, he smiled a little to himself. 

A singer which Priestly had been watching perform some country song that wasn't half bad finished and stepped down, Priestly looked back down into his drink that he was cradling whilst they set up for the next person. He stirred the remaining ice and poked at the slice of lemon whilst the announcer talked, complementing the performer before.

"Alright, next up we have someone who has an original song that they would like to share with you tonight. It's their first time performing it, so I am told, so let's go easy on him."

There were a few laughs scattered through the place. Priestly quirked an eyebrow, still not looking up. An original song? He'd heard a few of those and some of them had been truly awful, this should be interesting.

There was some murmuring up on stage. Priestly heard the plucking of a guitar and a clearing of a throat. Priestly peered up from his drink and his eyes widened. Dean was standing there. He almost knocked over his drink in his surprise. Dean? What was he doing here? He didn't know Dean wrote songs. He knew he played guitar but he'd never mentioned this.

“Hi, uh, everyone. Um, I’ve never done this before, heh, uh, so I hope it doesn’t go too badly.” Dean gave a quick smile, he plucked at a few strings and shifted the guitar strap. “It’s an original song and, uh, it’s dedicated to someone very special.”

His mouth became dry when he saw Dean up on the stage. Did he know he was here? He discreetly side eyed Rick. He wasn’t paying any attention to the stage, he actually looked like he was eyeing up one of the waitresses.

Priestly looked back towards Dean, he hoped he didn’t come here on purpose, Rick got jealous so easily and if he found out Dean was here he’d go crazy and the last thing Priestly wanted was for Dean to get hurt. You see, Dean and Priestly had been seeing each other behind Rick’s back. It had started innocently enough, Priestly had met Dean whilst out grocery shopping and then at work at the sandwich shop and then they bumped into each other again at the park, Priestly had been going for a walk to clear his head and Dean had been walking his dog. They’d run into each other so many times that they had started to find it hilarious. Then, one thing led to another and they ended up having frequent coffee dates and Priestly had been so thrown by how easy it was to be with Dean, to talk to him, it made him question his relationship with Rick. He knew things weren’t right with Rick, but being with Dean made it abundantly clear that what he and Rick had wasn’t healthy and it didn’t make him happy. But, he was afraid to leave him, Rick could be crazy possessive and jealous too and he let that out on Priestly, it made him very insecure to think that someone like Dean could want him. So, it was an even bigger surprise when they had started an affair. Yes, Dean had known about Rick, and after one time when Rick had been in a bad mood and taken it out on Priestly, he had felt vulnerable, telling Dean everything. Dean had been furious, wanting to beat the hell out of Rick and Priestly had wondered how someone so sweet could exist. Nobody had ever wanted to defend him like that before and it made Priestly’s heart constrict that Dean would waste his worry on him. It hadn’t been planned when he and Dean had spoken that he would take comfort in Dean’s bed, but he couldn’t say he had regretted it, it was the first time in a very long time that he felt something akin to normal. Dean had made him feel loved and wanted and if Priestly were a better man he might have ended it there, but that wouldn’t be the first time he and Dean would be together behind Rick’s back. Dean had urged him time and time again to leave Rick, and he wanted to, but the fear of what Rick would do, or what would happen between him and Dean if they were actually free to be together stopped him.

What if Dean lost interest once he had him all the time? What if he got bored of him?

One night when Dean had become frustrated and had had enough of keeping their relationship a secret, as well as sharing Priestly with a man like Rick, he’d pleaded with Priestly to leave him once and for all. Priestly had felt paralyzed, his anxiety growing. Of course he wanted to leave Rick, he couldn’t bear to see the look on Dean’s face every time he left. That was also the night that Dean had confessed to loving him. It had struck Priestly so hard in the chest that he felt he couldn’t breathe. He’d left without giving Dean an answer and he hadn’t seen him since. He’d felt like the worst person in the world and he’d never believed the whole “life becomes more vibrant when you’re in love” thing, but he swore up and down that everything seemed that little bit greyer. 

That had been nearly a week ago and Dean hadn’t made any attempt to see him, not at the coffee shop, not at the park and Priestly couldn’t blame him for avoiding him, but now here he was in the very same bar as he. He wondered if he’d known he would be here tonight. He licked his dry lips, fixated on the man up on stage that he had missed keenly.

Dean fiddled with his guitar some more before readjusting the microphone. 

“I wrote this for someone who I hope knows how I feel about them. So,” Dean’s eyes cut to the side, meeting Priestly’s dead on and his heart skipped a beat. “This is for you.” He cleared his throat and began his song, strumming his guitar with the practised ease Priestly had heard many a time. Dean’s voice was what caught him off guard, he’d never heard him with a full voice before only ever caught him singing under his breath or in a low voice as he played his guitar.

_“You walked into the room and now my hearts been stolen,_

_You took me back in time to when I wasn’t broken,_

_Now you’re all I want and I knew it from the very first moment,_

_‘Cause a light came on when I heard that song and I want you to sing it again._ ”

Priestly was instantly enamoured with his soulful voice, sucked into the lyrics. Dean had actually written a song for him? Priestly swallowed thickly as he continued to listen.

_“I swear that every word you sing you wrote them for me,_

_Like it was a private show and I know you never saw me,_

_When the lights come on and I’m on my own_

_will you be there to sing it again?_

_Could I be the one you talk about in all you stories?_

_Can I be him.”_

Priestly was transfixed, unable to look away from Dean, unable to miss the meaning in the lyrics.

_“I heard there was someone but I know he don’t deserve you,_

_If you were mine I’d never let anyone hurt you,_

_I want to dry those tears, kiss those lips, it’s all I’ve been thinking about,_

_‘Cause a light came on when I heard that song and I want you to sing it again.”_

The emotion in Dean’s voice was evident and for once that Priestly could remember the audience was just as captivated. Dean paused for a second, eyes closed, before diving into the chorus, his voice almost raw with emotion.

_“I swear that every word you sing you wrote them for me,_

_Like it was a private show but I know you never saw me,_

_When the lights come on and I’m on my own,_

_will you be there to sing it again?_

_Could I be the one you talk about in all your stories?_

_Can I be the one ? Can I be the one? Can I be the one?_

_Oh… Can I, can I be him? Can I be him? Can I be him…”_

Dean lifted his eyes, seeking Priestly’s. Priestly felt his eyes burn as Dean finished his song. His throat felt tight and he wanted nothing more than to rush the stage and run into Dean’s arms as they looked at each other across the room, but a throat clearing broke the spell.

Priestly felt his heart stop as he turned back to face Rick who a decidedly unhappy look on his face, it turned nastier somehow when Rick smiled at him.

“Enjoying the show?” He asked, a hard edge to his tone.

Priestly swallowed, nodding and aiming for a smile. “It, um,” He nervously licked his lips. “Was, uh, a really good song.”

Rick eyebrows raised. “Yeah? I think you liked a little bit more than just the song.” His face to anyone who didn’t know Rick looked easy going and maybe even teasing, but Priestly knew better, he knew from the coldness that tinged his words and the look in his eyes that he was in trouble.

Priestly hoped that Dean wasn’t anywhere near.

“Rick, I-”

Rick leant forward gripping Priestly’s arm tight enough to make him wince.

“We’re going home. _Now._ ” He let go with one last warning squeeze. His mates were drunk and pretty oblivious as Rick made his excuses to leave. Priestly chanced a glance backwards towards the stage and was both relieved and disappointed that Dean was nowhere in sight.

Rick’s hand returned with a bruising grip around his wrist once they stepped outside. “You had to ruin my night out, didn’t you? By eyeing up that guy.” Rick said in a low voice as he dragged Priestly towards the car. 

Priestly knew that once he got in that car he’d be putting himself at the mercy of Rick again, giving up and repeating a cycle he’d repeated too many times. He suddenly felt a surge of defiance and pulled his wrist out of Rick’s hold.

“No.”

Rick stopped, slowly turning on Priestly. He raised an eyebrow.

“No?”

Priestly felt his heart hammering inside his chest.

“I-” He swallowed his nerves. “I don’t want to go with you.”

Rick’s look turned colder and Priestly took a shaky step back.

“I am running out of patience with you.” He grabbed his upper arm, dragging him close. “I’m only going to say this once. Get. In. The. Car.”

Priestly opened his mouth to protest but somebody else beat him to it.

“I think he said no.”

Priestly looked over his shoulder to see Dean approaching.

Rick looked up at Dean with hostility.

"What the fuck do you want?”

Dean didn’t flinch at Rick’s aggressiveness. He ignored him in favour of looking at Priestly.

“Are you alright?”

Priestly looked nervously between Dean and Rick.

“Excuse me,” Rick said, pulling Priestly behind him and stepping up in Dean’s face. “But I think you should mind your own business and turn the fuck back around.”

Dean squared his shoulders.

“That’s not going to happen.” Dean looked down at Rick, he was at least a head shorter than Dean. “You should back off.”

“Dean.” Priestly warned worriedly. He realised his mistake immediately.

Rick looked back at him.

“So, you know him?”

Priestly felt his breathing becoming more difficult.

Rick laughed with a harshness that uneased Priestly.

“You and him?” He looked up at Dean with a cold smirk. “So that’s it? You been playing with him behind my back, Priestly?”

Dean’s jaw tightened.

Priestly stood still unable to speak.

Rick was still in Dean’s face as he taunted him.

“This is too good.” He smiled between Priestly and Dean. “Because even though Priestly lied to me, and believe me he’ll regret that, but there is a certain pleasure to be taken from this. Because it must truly make you sick that he still comes back to me.”

Dean’s fists clenched.

“Only because he’s too scared of you.”

Rick rolled his eyes.

“Please, it’s not my fault he’s so pathetic and a who-”

Dean grabbed the front of Rick’s shirt, dragging him close enough to be nose to nose.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!”

“Dean!” Priestly finally snapped to his senses. “Don’t!”

Dean didn’t take his eyes off of Rick’s smug face as he spoke.

“I won’t let him talk about you like that.”

Priestly couldn’t help the swell of warmth in his chest.

“Dean, please, It’s not worth it. Go, I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Deans anger melted for a second into a small smile that he aimed towards Priestly. 

“As if I would.”

Rick took the momentary distraction to punch Dean in the gut.

“Dean!” Priestly shouted in alarm as he doubled over from the unexpected hit. 

Dean didn’t have much time to recover as Rick made to hit him again. He just about dodged the next punch that was aimed at his face this time, stepping back just enough to have Rick’s fist graze his jaw. He righted himself and threw a punch of his own, going low and connecting with Rick’s sternum. Rick doubled over, groaning as the air whooshed out of him. 

Priestly watched with wide eyes, this was one of his worst nightmares, Dean getting into a fight with Rick.

Rick wasn’t deterred long though and landed a well aimed punch this time to Dean’s face. Dean stumbled backwards with the blow, holding his nose.

Rick threw a few more hits, Dean did his best to fight back, but Rick was fighting dirty. Another punch to the stomach had Dean bending in half and inadvertently moving into another punch to the face which had him falling on his back.

Priestly shook from his stunned stupor and ran over, pushing Rick back and away from Dean. 

Rick stumbled backwards and licked his split lip, laughing breathlessly. 

“Your boyfriend had enough already?”

Priestly stood his ground between Dean and Rick.

“Leave him alone, Rick.”

Dean clenched his teeth and hissed as he tried to get up.

“Priestly…”

“Enough, Dean. You’re hurt.” Priestly said, not looking away from Rick.

“Yeah, Dean,” Rick jibed. “Why don’t you just stay down.”

Dean growled and pushed himself up. Priestly turned and stopped him from tackling Rick, his hands on his chest keeping him back. “Dean, stop!”

Dean was breathing heavily and he was hurting, but he’d be damned if he was going to get his ass handed to him by a dick like Rick.

“I can still kick your ass.” Dean said, pointing at Rick. “Priestly, get out of the way.”

“No. I won’t let you fight over me anymore.” He looked pointedly back at Rick. “This fight is over.”

“Good, I’m done wasting my time with this.” He dragged Priestly away from Dean.

“Priestly, what are you doing?” Dean said, confused eyes following him.

Priestly turned to looked after Dean.

“I’m sorry, Dean. I’m not worth you getting hurt anymore.”

Dean shook his head, anger returning to his expression.

“Who gives a shit if I’m hurt? Priestly, you don’t deserve to be with that asshole.”

Rick was losing what little patience he’d had.

“Why don’t you get lost or should I put you on your ass again?”

Dean stared daggers his way.

“Fuck you. I could still take you, you piece of shit. And I wasn’t talking to you, I was talking to Priestly.” He turned his eyes back to him. “You’ve got to stand up for yourself, not for me or anyone else, but for you.”

Priestly’s adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, listening to Dean. He was right, he needed to have more self respect, Dean had just defended him, he was still scared, but for Dean he could try.

Rick had had enough, suddenly striking Priestly out in the open which he had never done before, he’d always kept anything like that behind closed doors. He held his cheek where Rick had struck him and his eyes glued to the floor in shock.

Dean surged forward in rage, but Priestly reacted before Dean had a chance to make a move, landing a hard and solid fist to Rick’s face. Dean stopped and gaped down at Rick who was flat on his back, holding his nose which was now pouring blood. Dean turned a stunned gaze to an equally stunned, but pissed off looking Priestly.

“Priestly…” Dean said in awe.

Priestly’s chest was heaving as he looked down at Rick. 

Dean approached Priestly carefully, laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Priestly? Are you okay?”

Priestly turned his gaze away from Rick writhing around on the floor to look up at Dean, his furrowed brow clearing as he saw Dean’s injured face.

Rick was furious now, he was in pain and it was made worse by the fact that it was Priestly who had caused it.

“You’re going to regret that, Priestly.”

Priestly shook his head.

“I don’t think I will.” He stood a little taller as he looked down on Rick. “It’s over. It should have been over a long time ago.”

Rick tried to stand.

“You can’t leave me.” He stood albeit wobbly. “You’re nothing without me.” He looked acidly towards Dean. “You think he’ll want you? You’re not worth the time of day.”

Dean had heard enough and stood side by side with Priestly, taking his hand. 

“Actually, he is. He’s worth a whole lot more than you’ll ever understand.”

Priestly felt his breath catch.

Dean squeezed Priestly’s hand as he continued.

“I think you should let it go and leave. He’s not going with you, not now, not ever.”

Priestly was shocked when all Rick did was sneer and glare at them both before dragging his sorry self back to his car.

Priestly was still in shock after he’d gone. Dean made Priestly turn to face him, he took in his red cheek from where Rick had hit him and gently touched it, cupping his cheek. 

“Priestly, you did it.” He smiled, wide and toothy down at him. 

Priestly leaned into the touch, scanning the bruises blooming on Dean’s face. He suddenly felt his eyes sting and the next thing Dean knew he had an armful of Priestly who wrapped his arms around him.

“Oh God, Dean. I can’t believe you did that.” He said breathlessly.

Dean pulled back a little to look down at Priestly. 

“Are you kidding, I can’t believe you did _that_. Priestly, you were amazing.” Dean was so proud of him right then.

Priestly shook his had.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do that if you hadn’t’ve been here.” Priestly shook his head as he searched Dean’s eyes. “What were you doing here tonight? How did you know I’d be here?”

“Ever since I last saw you, I felt I needed to apologise. I shouldn’t have pushed you, but it was only because I couldn’t stand to see you with that abusive asshole any longer.” Dean dropped his gaze. “The song was already half written before then and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you again for you to hear it, but then Rick came into the cafe where I work and was talking to one of his friends about his plans for tonight and I had to take the chance to see you.”

Priestly bit his lip.

“I thought you’d had enough of me. I certainly couldn’t blame you if you had, you must have thought I was just stringing you along.” He smiled, speaking with soft reverence. “I can’t believe you came.”

Dean lips curved into a tender smile. 

“Always.” His thumb brushed the bruise starting to spread and colour on Priestly’s cheek.

Priestly decided that there was entirely too much space between them and cupped Dean’s neck to pull him down into a kiss. The first press of lips after a week of thinking that he’d lost Dean for good was like a downpour after a drought. He surged up on to his tiptoes, wrapping his arms around Dean’s neck. Dean smiled into the kiss, his hands spanning Priestly’s back, holding him close.

Priestly broke this kiss to smile freely for the first time in awhile. 

“By the way, I love you too.”

Dean’s heart swelled, his hand stroking down Priestly’s back.

“Yeah?”

Priestly nodded.

“I should have told you that night, but I was too scared.” He looked down. “I’m sorry about that.”

Dean shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. That’s all in the past now.” He leaned in to press another kiss to Priestly’s lips. He lingered a moment before slowly pulling back. “So, you coming home with me this time?”

Priestly grinned, eyes crinkling with how hard he was smiling. He pulled Dean into a deep kiss before stepping back and taking his hand.

“I’d love to.”

Dean kissed the back of Priestly’s hand returning Priestly’s smile. 

“Let’s go then.”

Priestly nodded, his heart full as he walked away with Dean, hands clasped together tightly and his past finally behind him. He smiled to himself at the thought of starting something brand new with the man he loved and who loved him fully in return.

**Author's Note:**

> I had a draft of this from a few years ago when I first had this idea and I HATED it. It just made me cringe so bad because I was trying to be so poetic and angsty it was just *shivers* (and it was before James Arthur even existed as an artist) anyway, I still liked the idea of the pairing and the general idea of the story. I'm much more satisfied with this version, so I hope you enjoy!


End file.
